Spring cultivator-tooth.



No. 642,510. Patented lan. 30, |900. J. S. TUTTLE &. J. M. WILSON.

SPRING CULTIVATUR TUUTH.

(Application led Apr. 24, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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NITED STATES gPATENT JOSIAII S. TUTTLE AND JOHN M. WILSON, OF KANSAS OITY, KANSAS.

SPRING CULTIVATOR-TOOTH.

SPECIFICATION formingpart-*of Letters Patent No. 642,510, dated January 30, 1900.

Application nea vApi-i1 24, 1899.V

spring cultivator-teeth adapted to be used in series or in gangs on cultivator implements; and the primary object of the invention is to provide means which will permit the tooth to move in an upward-and-rearward direction when it encounters aroot, stone, or other barrier in the path thereof, whereby the liability of injury to the tooth is minimized and the strain and draft on the tooth-beam are reduced to overcome bending thereof.

A further object of the invention is to ar-` range the tooth-carrier elements in a manner to lock thetooth in its normal operative position against the strain and pressure of the -soil through which the tooth is drawn by the implement; but these elements permit the desirable upward-and-rearward movement of the tooth under the conditions recited.

The tooth-carrying devices of our invention sustain the draft of the tooth, so as to reduce the strain on the cultivator-beam, thus prolonging the service of the implement and obviating injury to or bending of the beam. The tooth-supporting shank is pivoted to the beam at a point nearly in the vertical plane assumed by the shovel-point when in its normal position, and thus insures the presentation of the shovel-point on the return of the parts to working position at such an angle as to effect its easy and proper entrance into the soil.

The invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

To enable others to understand the invention, we have illustrated the preferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a yieldable cultivator-tooth constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 vis a side elevation showing by dotted lines theposition Serial No. 714,195. (No model.)

assumed by the tooth-carryin g shank and the draft appliances on the elevation of the shovelpoint. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the gu ide-clamp and the spring-stop, the plane of section being indicated by the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 2. f

The same numerals of reference denote like and corresponding parts in each of the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying our invention into practice we employ a cultivator or tooth beam 5, which in its general construction is similar to the beams used on ordinary cultivator implements, and the rear end of this beam is curved downwardly and forwardly to provide the arm 6.

The tooth carrier or shank forming one of the elements of our improvement consists of curved members or bars 7 8, which are spaced in parallel relation to each other to receive the arm 6 of the beam. The shovel or point 9 is fitted to a block l0, which is secured to the lower extremity ,ofy the shank or carrier by means of the bolt 1l; but the devices for fastening the shovel to the shank or carrier are ordinary in the art. The members of the carrier or shank are curved longitudinally to conform to the curvature of the arm 6 on the rear end of the beam 5, and this arm is fitted loosely between the members of the shank, so as to guide it in its swinging adjustment and to afford a brace to the shank against lateral deflection when the shank assumes its normal working position, (represented byf full lines in Fig. 2.) The upper end of this curved carrier or shank is attached to the beam by a bolt l2, which lies nearly in the vertical plane assumed by the point-of the shovel when the latter and the carrier are in their normal workin g positions, and the employment of the curved carrier and the disposition of the pivot-bolt 12 therefor in the manner described provide for the proper upward-and-rearward movement when the shovel encounters an obstruction .or barrier in its path. This curvature of the carrier and disposition of the pivot 12 are, furthermore, advantageous, because the carrier and shovel are caused to travel in an arc which will insure the proper presentation of the shovel-point to the slot in a manner to readily and freely enter the soil on the return movement of the shank and shovel to IOO 'coiled spring 26.

their normal working positions, the are of movement and the position assumed by the shovel and the carrier or shank therefor being indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

13 14 designate a pair of arms which are provided with widened rear ends 15, applied laterally against opposite sides of the twopart shank or carrier and secured rmly thereto at a suitable distance below the pivot 12, which unites the beam and carrier together. These arms extend forwardly from the curved shank or carrier, and they are pivoted to a pitman or drag-bar 1G by means of a transverse pivot 17.

On the cultivator-beam 5, at a point intermediate of its length, is mounted an angle or bell-crank lever 18, which lies transversely across the axial line of said beam and is fulcrumed directly thereto at a point intermediate its length by a pivot-bolt 19, that passes through the angle-lever at or near the junction of its oppositely-inclined arms or members, said bolt also passing through the cultivator-beam 5. The forward end of the angle-lever 18 is connected to the corresponding end of the pitm an or drag-bar 16 by means of a pivot-bolt 20, and thus the drag-bar, the lever, and the arms serve to pivotally connect the shank or carrier with the beam.

Secured iirmly to the cultivator-beam at a point in rear of the fulcrum for the'angle-lever 18 is a vertically-disposed guide-clip 21. This clip is in the form of an inverted loop fastened securely at 22 to the cultivator-beam and extending a suitable distance above the latter, the opening in the loop being elongated vertically to provide for the proper play of a spring-actuated rod 23. The forward end of this rod is pivoted at 24 to the rear end of the angle-lever 18, and said rod passes loosely through the vertically-elongated opening of the guide-clip 21. The rear extremity of the springrod is externally threaded at25, and on said rod is loosely tted a coiled retracting-spring 26. The forward end of this spring is fitted or seated against a washer 26a, that bears against the rear edge of the fixed guide-clip 21, and on the threaded rear extremity of the rod 23 is screwed a nut 27, that acts against a washer 28, which forms a seat for the rear end of the The rod 23 and the spring are adapted to be shifted through the elongated eye of the fixed clip 21 when the lever is turned by the elevation of the tooth. The spring 2G normally holds the lever in a position nearly parallel to the axial line of the beam, and this lever draws the drag-bar or pitman in a forward direction, so that the arms 13 14 will hold the carrier or shank in a proper working position. In this position of the pitman or drag-bar and the arms the pitman is raised so that the pivot 17, the lever-fulcrum 19, and the pivot 20 are nearly in line with each other diagonally across the axial line of the beam. Owing to this relation of the pivots 1720 and the lever-fulcrum 19 and the tension of the coiled spring 23 on the rear end of the lever the drag-bar, lever, and carrier-bars are locked firmly in their normal positions, and the tension of this spring is such as to resist the tendency of the pivoted carrier or shank to move in an upward-and-rearward direction in the ordinary service of the shovel orpoint 9. The tension of the spring and the locking of the carrier by the vpositions of the drag-bar and lever cause the shovel to be held in its working position against the pressure or resistance of the soil encountered by the shovel in the forward movement of the implement; but when the shovel meets with an obstruction or barrier-such as a root, a stone, or other immovable object-the shovel is forced rearwardly and upwardly to overcome the tension of the spring, thereby throwing the lever 18 in a forward direction and permitting the pitman and carrier to move upwardly. In this forward movement of the lever the springrod and the spring thereon are free to travel in an upward direction with relation to the xed clip, and such forward movement of the lever increases the strength of the spring by compressing the latter, so that the shovel or point when it clears the obstruction will be instantly returned to its lowered normal position.

As heretofore indicated, the curvature of the shank or carrier and the :relation of the pivot to the normal position assumed by the shovel insure the movement of the shovel in an arc which will facilitate its rentrance into the soil with ease and freedom.

One of the important features of our invention is the disposition or relation of the lever and the drag-bar to the curved shank or carrier. This arrangement of the parts provides a brace between the carrier and the beam, which brace is adapted to take up most of the strain usually imposed upon the beam Aand the upper end of the shank, so that the strain is transferred to and sustained by the arms 13 14, the drag-bar, and the lever, thereby relieving the beam of excessive strain and minimizing the liability of injury and breakage to the beam.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacriicing any of the advantages of this invention.

Vhat we claim is-- 1. The combination with a cultivator-beam, and a shank or carrier pivoted thereto, of a drag-bar or pitman connected pivotally with said carrier at a point intermediate its length, and a spring-controlled lever connected pivotally to the frontend of the drag-bar, the lever being so related to the drag-bar that the pivots of the drag-bar will nearly aline with the f ulcrnm of the lever whenthe parts are in their normal positions, whereby the drag-bar and lever serve to lock the carrier IOO IIO

or shank in its normal position, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a cultivator-beam, of a curved shank or carrier pivoted at its upper end to said beam and equipped With a shovel at its lower end, arms fast with the carrier or shank at a point below the beam,

a lever fulcrumed on said beam, a drag-bar or pitman having its ends jointed respectively to the arms and the lever, and a spring connected actively to the lever and normally holding the latter in -a position Where the drag-bar pivots are nearly alined With the fulcrum of the lever, substantially as described. p

3. The combination witha cultivator-beam, and a pivoted shaft carrying a shovel, of a guide-clip fixed to said beam to extend upwardly therefrom and having a verticallyelongated eye or loop, an endWise-movable tension-rod fitted slidably in said clip and shiftable vertically in the elongated eye or loop thereof, a spring on said rod and seated against the clip and the rod to be shiftable vertically with said rod and to be compressed on movement of the rod in one direction, a lever fulcrumed on the beam and connected to the rod, and a drag-bar connecting the `lever and the shank, substantially as described.

4. The combination-of a cultivator-beam having a curved rear arm, a two-part shank or carrier provided with a shovel at one end and arranged to embrace the curved arm of said beam, a pivot-bolt connecting the carrier to the beam, a drag-bar jointed to the carrier at a point between its pivot and the shovel, and a spring-controlled lever jointed to the drag-bar, substantially'as described.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own We have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOSIAH S. TUTTLE. JOHN M. WILSON.-

Witnesses:

J. W. CAPPS, FRANK; D..PARsoNs. 

